Learned from the Best
by Kitfaina
Summary: During the final fight with a corrupted Riku, Sora recalls the spars he had with his friend in the very beginning.


Learned from the Best

"Come."

A shrill clang echoed throughout the cavernous room. Two blades met below the webbed ceiling, the rebound quickly sending the two figures staggering away from each other.

The short, sandy-haired teen lurched to the left, barely managing to avoid a harsh blow from his opponent. With a growl, the dark figure swung again, his notched blade gleaming in the multicolored light.

" _Hey_ _Sora_ , _how_ _about_ _a_ _quick_ _round_? _Grab_ _your_ _sword."_

"Snap out of it, Riku!" The younger gasped, stumbling away from the male yet again. Alas, his words appeared to have gone unheard, as the white-haired teen continued his advance.

" _Ready_ _or_ _not!"_

With a desperate cry, Sora swung his blade, the weapon once again colliding with Riku's. He could hardly manage to block the blows raining down upon him with a furious speed, let alone fight back.

" _Come_ _on!"_

When Riku swung a quick arc towards the boy, Sora found his chance. Once the blow was deflected, he finally achieved a sharp hit to Riku's torso, sending him stumbling back with a pained grunt. Seeing his momentary advantage, he rushed Riku again, only managing a few more blows before he was parried and shoved back.

" _Heh_ , _you_ _still_ _don't_ _got_ _it_."

Seeming to recollect himself, Riku, no; _Ansem,_ raised his key blade in a challenging manner, eyes hard.

"Well, what now?"

Sora rushed forward, swinging in a sharp arc and locking his key blade with Riku's. Amethyst eyes glared into ice blue as both wielders strained to gain the advantage.

" _My_ _turn!"_

In a sudden burst of strength, Riku tore his blade from its suspended position and snapped it towards the smaller teen, catching him right in the gut. Gasping for breath, Sora stumbled backwards, eyes wide.

" _Don't_ _tell_ _me_ _you're_ _giving_ _up_ _already."_

"Show me your power!" Riku commanded, voice warped with that of the dark man who possessed him. He braced his blade before him, easily deflecting all of Sora's blows.

"Useless."

Hits were exchanged back and forth, some successfully meeting their target, others deflected with ringing tones.

"You are nothing."

Riku wove through the fight with a deadly grace, rarely missing, gloating frequently, and often laughing with twisted elation. Even when he was caught with Sora's strong series of hits, he recovered quickly and struck back quicker.

"Is that it?"

Sora was only still standing due to his experience in battle, as well as his agility. He dodged and rolled with ease, managing small strings of blows and occasionally stopping for a desperate heal.

" _What_ _are_ _you_ _afraid_ _of?"_

"You're finished." Riku leapt into the air, and Sora backed away, preparing to deflect an aerial blow. Instead, Riku came down, stabbing his blade into the ground, and sending a shockwave of electricity around him.

Unprepared for this new tactic, Sora stumbled away, lucky enough not to take a direct hit. He could still feel a strange tingling in his limbs, however.

From that point on, Riku fought with attacks charged with electricity. A swing of his key blade would send a small blue burst of crackling energy to his target, and even if it was deflected, it still left Sora's arms momentarily numb.

Riku raised his weapon again. "Now witness true power." With a shout, he hurled discs of electricity at Sora.

Sora had to watch for two attacks now; the first, in which Riku burst with electricity, and-

"Open your heart to the darkness."

Riku would become a phantom, wrapped in a glowing dark energy and shooting throughout the room.

The fight went on much like this for what seemed like years, with Sora making hits and taking blows, while Riku's power only seemed to grow the more it went on.

" _You_ _can_ _do_ _better_ _than_ _that."_

Finally, Sora got his chance. For what seemed like the hundredth time, he swung his key blade at Riku, forcing his last burst of energy into this attack.

With a flash of light, and a choked gasp, Riku stumbled back. His key blade fell to the floor with a small crash.

" _That's_ _it,_ _Sora."_

Riku fell to his knees, and dissolved in a shower of glowing light.


End file.
